New Laser Surgery for Cataracts in the Works

Nov. 17, 2010 -- An experimental image-guided laser technique could change the way cataract surgery is performed for decades to come.

Experts say guided lasers will allow eye surgeons to perform cataract surgeries in less time with more precision, meaning that more patients could end up with 20/20 vision.

In a newly published pilot study of a system developed at Stanford University, precision with the image-guided laser was 10 times better than that achieved with the current manual technique, researchers say.

“This can certainly be called revolutionary,” says Los Angeles eye surgeon James Salz, MD, who was not involved with the study. Salz spoke to WebMD about it as a representative of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

“I would never have dreamed that cataract surgery could be done as quickly and accurately as it is done with guided laser. This is going to make a good operation even better.”

How Image-Guided Laser Surgery Works

More than 1.5 million cataract surgeries are performed in the U.S. each year. One in three mostly older Americans will have the surgery at some point in their lives.

The surgery is performed to remove the natural lens of the eye after it has become clouded over time. A permanent artificial lens is then implanted.

While the lens is removed, the elastic capsule that surrounds it is left intact to allow for the placement of the new artificial lens.

Currently most aspects of cataract surgery, including the initial incision and the breakup and removal of the clouded lens from the lens capsule, are performed manually by the surgeon.

With the new technique, this is all done with a special laser guided by 3-D imaging.

After applying suction to hold the eye in place, a 3-D image of the eye is taken to determine corneal thickness, the distance from the back of the cornea to the front of the lens, and the distance from the front of the lens to the back, Salz says.

This information is used to program the image-guided laser to achieve the precise cut specified by the surgeon.